Legislation

As per my early November presentation in Cancun, the Canadian government had by that point authorized the federal regulatory body to provide detailed consumer protection rules in regard to several specific areas involving air transportation. Areas to be addressed include delayed/cancelled flights, denied boarding (a.k.a. overbooking), the damage to and/or loss of luggage, tarmac delays, and rules surrounding the transport of children and musical instruments.

Federal Law No. 52-FZ, published on April 4, 2017 will make Russia part of the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air 1999 (Montreal Convention). The relevant amendments to the Russian Air Code are made by a separate Bill No. 28636-7.

On Feb. 28, 2017 the Austrian Federal Ministy of Justice has published its draft for the implementation of the EU Package Travel Directive 2015/2302. Instead of the current provsions related to package travel in the Consumer Protection Act, there will be a separate Package Travel Act (Pauschalreisegesetz - PRG). This seems reasonable as the protection provided by the Directive is not limited to consumers only.

The European Commission has adopted a number of legislative proposals to simplify and improve the common rules on safety of ships carrying passengers in EU waters. The update is a response to lessons learnt, including from accidents, and technological developments. It will, among others, allow immediate access of competent authorities to relevant data in case of emergency ensuring that search and rescue operations can be dealt with more effectively.

According to a new Argentinian law (27,196), airlines are amongst institutions which must offer at least one gluten-free food choice. The law declares early detection, diagnosis and treatment of coeliac disease and access to gluten-free food a matter of national interest.

Source: Article by Elizabeth Mireya Freidenberg, published on http://www.internationallawoffice.com

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval signed a bill on June 10, 2015 repealing a law, that for decades, required all travel agencies doing business with Nevada consumers to register, maintain trust accounts and support a consumer recovery fund. Prior to the repeal, the Nevada legislature instituted three suspensions of the seller-of-travel law (NRS 598.305 - 598.395) for two-year periods beginning in 2009.

Thailand which is not a party of the Montreal Convention yet has adopted a new International Carriage by Air Act to come into force on May 14, 2015. The Act will apply to domestic and international carriage by air and will replace the application of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code to aviation cargo and passenger claims. It intends to approximate national law to the Montreal Convention of 1999 inter alia by introducing liability limits and a two years limitation period. An English translation of the Thai International Carriage by Air Act B.E.

According to the Singapore Tourism Board Act which came into force Oct. 7, 2014, tourist guides have to be licenced by the Singapore Tourism Board. Licenced tourist guides receive a tourist guide badge. Actiing as a tourist guide without a valid licence is regarded an offence with a penalty of up to S$5,000 for the first offence and and upt to S$10,000 for the second or any subsequent offence. Any use of the services of an unlicensed guide is also regarded an offence with the same fines.